Coming Clean
by HP Slash Luv
Summary: Lee must finally tell Roxanne the truth. Lee/Roxanne, Lee/Fred


**Title:** Coming Clean  
 **Rating:** T  
 **Pairing(s)/Character(s):** Lee/Roxanne, Lee/Fred  
 **Warnings:** None  
 **Disclaimer:** Don't own 'em - not making any money off 'em. Dern it.  
 **Word Count:** 909  
 **Summary:** Lee must finally tell Roxanne the truth.

 **Notes:**

 **Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry: ****Animagus Training** – Task – Write about someone willingly going through an uncomfortable experience. Be sure to include the why.

 **Big Damn Prompt Race Competition:** 20\. Pairing: LeeRoxanne

* * *

Lee knew this was going to be hard. He knew Roxanne would be hurt, and he most certainly knew he might lose his friendship with George if she decided to tell her father about it.

Still, it was the right thing to do. He couldn't keep lying to her. She deserved better. She certainly deserved someone who loved her as much as she loved them.

He hated the thought of being the one to break her heart. He should have been honest when she confessed her feelings to him, but he decided that maybe he could cling just a bit to a past love by being with her.

He used her, but now he had to make things right and be honest about it.

Lee swallowed as she answered her door after his knock. The bright smile on her face made what he had to do even more painful. "Lee, I wasn't expecting you today. We didn't have a date that I forgot about, did we?"

Lee shook his head as his hand came up and brushed some dreadlocks out of his eyes. "Roxie, we need to talk."

She frowned. "Nothing good ever follows the statement 'we need to talk.' What's wrong?"

It might have been easier to do it on the front porch so he could make a run for it when he was done, but that was also the coward's way. He was a lot of things, but he would never call himself a coward. "Can I come in?"

She stepped aside, and he walked in. Lee immediately headed for the couch. When he was situated, she sat down next to him, her thigh pressed against his.

He subtly moved away from her, to put distance between them, but when Roxanne's eyes narrowed, he knew she caught it.

She repeated her earlier question, "Lee, what's wrong?"

He couldn't look her in the eyes, so he focused on his legs as he took a deep breath before he said what he needed to say. "We can't be together any longer."

Roxanne gasped. "Why? Did I do something wrong? Was I too clingy? Whatever I did wrong, I can fix it. Just don't give up on us. Please."

Lee forced his eyes away from his lap in order to look into Roxanne's panicked gaze. "Roxie, it's nothing that you did."

"It has to be. Why else would you break up with me? Lee, I love you. Whatever you need me to do to stay with me, I'll do it. Just don't walk away. Please," she begged.

He had told himself that he would be completely honest with Roxanne, no matter how uncomfortable it was or how hurt she would be, and that was why he said what he did. "Roxie, I don't love. I've _never_ loved you."

"You're lying," she said, sounding choked up.

"I'm not," he stated seriously. He stared into her eyes and hope she read the truth in his gaze.

Roxanne stood up and began pacing in front of him. "When I told you how I felt, you told me you loved me!" she yelled, her voice high pitched in her accusation.

"I did," he agreed.

"If that was a lie, why did you say it?" she asked as she crossed her arms over her chest.

Lee bit his bottom lip. "There are things you don't know from when I was younger. Not even your dad knows these things."

"You're breaking my heart! I think I have the right to know."

Lee nodded. "You're right; you do. And I promised myself that I'd tell you everything. When I was in school, I dated your Uncle Fred."

Roxanne blinked. "For how long?"

"From fifth year until his death," Lee whispered as he swallowed back his own tears that the thought of Fred's motionless body still caused. "No one knew about us. Not even your dad. Fred had been worried what everyone would think about him being gay. He wasn't ready for the public to know, and I would do anything I could to stay with him, so I agreed to keep us a secret. I loved him."

Roxanne looked to the side. "So you loved an uncle that I never met. What does that have to do with me?"

"You look like your dad, so you also look like Fred. And you're a lot like him in personality. You just reminded me so much of Fred that I thought I could pretend..." He trailed off.

She stared at him again, her eyes blazing. "You thought you could pretend I was Fred! You thought it was okay to tell me you loved me when you were really saying it to a ghost!"

"I never wanted to hurt you," Lee implored.

"You have a funny way of showing it," she muttered. "Get out," she demanded louder.

"Roxie—" Lee tried, but Roxanne cut him off.

"No, you don't get to call me Roxie ever again. In fact, I never want to talk to you again! Get out and stay out!" she yelled. There were angry tears streaming down her cheeks, and her face was red with emotion.

Lee stood up and walked to the door. He opened it, but before he exited, he whispered, "I'm sorry."

And then he was gone.

He knew he had done the right thing. The only thing that would have been better was if he had never lied to her in the first place.


End file.
